


Water Is Thicker Than Blood

by melliyna



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Family, Gen, gen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-10
Updated: 2010-03-10
Packaged: 2017-10-07 21:04:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/69227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melliyna/pseuds/melliyna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Originally written for a prompt in the Criminal Minds Gen-A-Thon <i>the first time that Prentiss really felt like part of the family</i> (Which I am thinking of running again next year, as it turned out so well).</p>
    </blockquote>





	Water Is Thicker Than Blood

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for a prompt in the Criminal Minds Gen-A-Thon _the first time that Prentiss really felt like part of the family_ (Which I am thinking of running again next year, as it turned out so well).

For someone who never smiles, Aaron Hotchner smiles a great deal in other ways. Maybe it was when she realized that, that Emily found her watershed moment - that she wasn't just part of the team, she was part of the family, this little family of profilers and damage that somehow, somehow it works.

She knows Reid loves obscure medievalists and sometimes, modern science fiction in equal measure and that at times, he's more aware of the uses of his looks and persona than you'd think to look at him. Sometimes he uses that and Hotch gives him the Hotch equivalent of a smile and a wink and includes Emily. Reid is all about watching old Star Trek reruns (and sometimes newer Trek reruns, because mocking Enterprise needs to be a national sport), pouring over Klingon, over Elvish and Reid apologizing but not apologizing (he bought chocolate and a toy tribble back from Vegas, that was an apology enough).

She knows Hotch uses the suit, the tie and the way he never appears to smile. Sometimes, she'll hear that others are scared of him and she wonders, how can they not see the man who you can go to, trust, the one who'll listen, who knows the words to say. The one who'll find you, when you need to and who praises and gives empathy. The Hotch who does a wonderful deadpan snark, who'll play 'boss with a stick up somewhere uncomfortable' and who will stay. Prentiss knows now, when he's acting, he does it badly to those who know him.

She knows the way JJ will smile, straighten her hair and look entirely innocent before bringing out the big guns. Because Jennifer Jareau (Emily knows her middle is Clementine, "mercifully, Mom insisted on breaking up the line of J's there" and that she plays pool as well as she throws darts, but pool is a college gained skill, that failure scares her and that JJ will in fact, walk down the street singing 'My Freeze Ray' at three am) might just be the other plank upon which the BAU stands.

Garcia, she knows as the bright ray of sunshine, something that is somewhat ironic for a girl who lives for her screens but that is Penelope. She's sunshine, smiles and the best kinds of threats because sometimes, it devolves in to tech geek talk. She's drinks, movies and girl's night out's with JJ in which they just delight in being friends and the way it's slowly evolved in to something more than that, something deeper. They don't say the word 'sisters' but you don't need to, when it's so obvious. And then one day they do, in cards.

Morgan, is the kind of love that can only be expressed in arm wrestling and a delight in kicking down doors together. If Emily admits that they bonded over a love of action movies, Natalie Portman and Vonnegut, then you'd be right. Morgan is afternoons of video games, runs, banter and talks that evolved, somehow. It's being given the responsibility of babysitting his dog, of looking after Garcia for an afternoon, of looking after Hotch. And Morgan doesn't trust anyone to look after his family outside his family. It's a big thing, Morgan trust.

Rossi is, Rossi who somehow more subtle than he appears to be and sometimes he's exactly who you think he is. Emily thinks sometimes that there are actually two different David Rossi's - they just toss a coin to decide which one shows up for duty every day and she's only half joking. And then she sees the way the family is changing him too. It's a direction for the better. Rossi is being there even when he's the last thing you want to see, unexpectedly thoughtful gifts at Christmas and even more unexpectedly helpful words. Sometimes you forget who David Rossi is, but it's different, when you get to know him. He's piles of paper, authorial sensibilities and a tendency to look at the group with some puzzlement but with protective instincts a mile long. You don't hurt Rossi's family.

Emily Prentiss cannot remember when or how she became part of this family, finally. There have been so many little steps in knowledge, in actions. Holding Jack (the name he gives her), invitations to houses, to Christmas parties, just to gatherings. Somewhere along the line, they've all become people they can just drop in on - because that's what this family does. Being given a place on the Wall Of Garcia Photographs (and then many places). Holding Henry. She falls in to this family, in a thousand little moments in time.


End file.
